


The same mistake

by SugdenLovesDingle



Series: Flufftober [17]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, teenage seb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:01:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27060856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SugdenLovesDingle/pseuds/SugdenLovesDingle
Summary: Flufftober day 17: Embarrassing secret"I'm terrified of him turning out like me."
Relationships: Aaron Dingle/Robert Sugden
Series: Flufftober [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947490
Comments: 7
Kudos: 49





	The same mistake

**Author's Note:**

> This got a lot angstier than planned - I don't know how it happened but I hope you enjoy anyway!

“Fighting? Really?” Aaron exploded. He'd managed to keep his cool long enough to get them both home safely but now he was ready to let it all out.

“He had it coming.” Seb said and flopped down on the sofa. “He was calling me names and insulting our family.”

“I don't care if he insulted the damn queen, you do not use your fists to settle an argument! You tell a teacher or me or your dad. But never this. Ever. We didn't raise you like this.”

“I'm not a rat!”

“Better a rat than expelled.”

“I'm only suspended for a few days.” Seb shrugged. “No big deal.”

“No big deal?! Are you kidding me right now?! This goes in your file. Any future school you go to will be able to see you got suspended for fighting!”

“It's just school. Nobody cares about that.”

“Nobody cares?! You better pray that lad and his parents won't press charges or you'll have a criminal record! Is that what you want?!” Aaron demanded. “Getting turned down for jobs because of it?”

Seb shrugged again.

“I can just come work for you. You don't care about that kind of stuff.”

“Yeah and do you know why that is? Because I know what it's like to have a criminal record with a GBH conviction on it!” Aaron yelled. “I did time for beating a lad up and it was the biggest mistake I ever made.”

Seb sat up a little straighter. He'd heard talk about neither of his parents being squeaky clean but they'd never told him any details. And he’d never asked.

“It was hell during your custody hearings.” Aaron continued. “Your mum's solicitor made me out to be some violent thug and that they were afraid I'd hurt you.”

“You would never.”

“Of course not. But there is a piece of paper out there that says I did hurt someone once. They made me take anger management classes to even be allowed to see you. Your dad and I both had to take parenting classes and go to marriage counselling, even though our marriage was fine. All because of that one mistake.”

“But he's a bully! He called me names and stuff.”

“So you tell a teacher!”

Seb mumbled something unintelligible and it made Aaron's blood boil.

“You know my friend Ben? Who works down at the HOP with uncle Ellis.”

“Of course.”

Aaron took a deep breath.

“We used to go to school together.”

“Ok.”

“And I bullied him. I was a bully. I was awful to him. I called him names, me and my friends would chase him through town and beat him up…”

Seb frowned.

“But you're friends now.”

“Yeah, we are. But that doesn't make what I did right. Not in the slightest.”

“So you're Mitchell in this story then. And I'm Ben. Don't you want me to stand up for myself?”

“Yes. But not with your fists. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

“But I’m not going to let some bully walk all over me!”

Aaron sighed and sat down in the armchair, facing his son.

“I’m not saying you can’t stand up to bullies, I’m saying don’t use your fists. Use your words.”

“But that doesn’t work. He’ll only laugh at me. This shut him up.”

“For now. What happens if he brings his mates along next time to shut you up?”

Seb shrugged.

“I’ll bring my mates.”

“Oh sure, you and Isaac against the school bully. That’s a great idea.”

“I’ve got more mates than just Isaac!” Seb protested. “I can take him.”

“That’s what I used to say. I can take him. Let me at him, I’ll take care of it.”

“So?”

“So? I ended up in prison, Seb. I have a criminal record!”

“That’s not going to happen to me.” Seb said resolutely, grabbing his phone from his bag and slumping back on the sofa, hoping his dad would get the message that as far as he was concerned, their conversation was over.

Aaron snatched the phone from his hands and threw it on the coffee table.

“No. You’re going to listen to me.” He said and waited for Seb to look at him. “When I first saw Ben again, years after we left school, I had no idea who he was. You were about three, the HOP had just opened, and I took you to go check it out. Your auntie Vic worked in the café there and I left you with her to go talk to Al for a minute. The smoke from the scrapyard bothered their staff and clients and he asked me to only burn stuff when the wind was blowing the other way. And then he told Ben to give me kayaking lessons or something. I don’t really remember…”

“Ok… what does that have to do with me?”

“When he saw me, he froze. He did recognise me, and he did remember all the things I’d done to him. Every single punch.”

“Right.”

“He had to tell me who he was… and when I realised… I’d never felt so ashamed.” Aaron told him. “It took us a long time to work through things enough to become friends.”

“So, what, do you want me to be friends with Mitchell?”

“No. I just don’t want you to turn into me. I don’t want you to keep up the family tradition.”

“What tradition?”

“Prison. For a violent offence. Me, your dad, even Liv. I don’t want it to be four out of four here.”

Seb’s head was spinning with the new information and he was dying to ask for details but the look on his father’s face told him he shouldn’t. He made a mental note to hit up google once his dad would let him have his phone again.

“But this was just a few punches. It only happened once.” Seb told him. “He was just saying all these nasty things about you and dad… calling you perverts and that. And he called mum a slapper.”

“And did you tell anyone he said those things?”

“No… But he was mocking me. Saying I wouldn’t dare hit him because I’m weak and I live with perverts.”

“So you decided to prove him wrong.”

“Well… yeah…”

“And you gave him exactly what he wanted. Nobody is going to want to listen to your reasons why anymore now because you broke this lad’s nose.”

“I don’t think it’s broken… I didn’t hit him that hard…” Seb said but the glare he got in return told him that had been the wrong thing to say. “I’m sorry.” He tried instead.

“Don’t say sorry to me, you didn’t hit me.” Aaron got up from his seat and walked to the fridge to get a drink. “When you’re allowed back to school, you’re going to apologise to this lad. And we’ll set up a meeting with the principal and his parents and tell them to reel in the homophobia.” He decided. “Now go to your room and go do your homework.”

Seb got up and reached for his phone.

“That stays here. You’re grounded. And tomorrow you’re coming to the yard with me and you can do some filing and cleaning in the portacabin.”

Seb gave his dad an exasperated look but decided not to argue. He shuffled over to the stairs and hesitated by the bottom step.

“Dad?”

“Hmm?”

“The things you just told me… I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“Good. Homework. Now.”

Seb nodded and walked up the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight, Aaron sat down at the kitchen table and dropped his head in his hands. His son turning into a version of his younger self was his worst nightmare.

He had no idea how long he’d been sitting there, mulling over the mistakes of his past, when he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Robert’s concerned face.

“Are you ok?” he asked. “I had some missed calls from Seb’s school but by the time I got back to them they told me you had picked him up.”

Aaron nodded and leaned back in his chair, tugging on Robert’s jacket so he’d lean down and kiss him.

“He got into a fight. Punched a bully.”

“He what?! Is he alright? What happened?”

“Some kid was saying homophobic shit to him and said he wouldn’t dare punch him… and he had to prove him wrong.”

Robert winced.

“And now?”

“He’s been suspended for the rest of the week. The kid might have a broken nose and apparently the parents are talking about pressing charges.”

“Did you speak to them?”

Aaron shook his head.

“No but I had a right go at Seb. And then I told him about Kasim. And Ben.”

Robert sat down.

“What did he say?”

“Not much actually. I thought hearing your dad did time for beating someone half to death would be more shocking… but he just said that wasn’t going to happen to him.”

“Sounds like our Seb.”

Aaron nodded.

“I sent him upstairs to do his homework. He’s probably on his computer talking to Isaac to complain about me, though.”

“He’s a teenager. That’s what they do.” Robert said, giving him a small smile and squeezing his hand on the table as he sat down. “Are you ok though? You look like hell.”

“Cheers. I love you too.” Aaron snorted.

“You know what I mean. You look stressed.”

“I’m alright. I just… kind of got lost in my own head a bit. Suddenly I saw myself at 14 and it wasn’t pretty. I’m terrified of him turning out like me.”

“Like what? A loving father? A supportive brother? A dedicated son? The best husband I’ve ever had?” Robert said with a wink, hoping Aaron would catch his reference to their first wedding.

Aaron smiled and shook his head.

“Quoting your vows. Nice.”

“Oh you remember then?” Robert teased. “I mean you are getting on a bit and it’s been quite a long time.”

“I’m still younger than you, old man.” Aaron said and leaned over the table to press a kiss to his lips. “And I know what you’re doing. Trying to distract me.”

“Is it working?”

“Maybe a little.” Aaron smiled and kissed Robert again. “I love you.”

“I love you too. And remember I’m here for you. Always.”

They heard some shuffling coming from upstairs.

“You can come down now Seb.” Aaron called out. “I know you’ve been listening the whole time.”

Seb gingerly walked down the stairs and chewed the inside of his cheek as he waited for whatever hell his parents were going to unleash on him.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Robert asked him.

“I… I don’t know. I wasn’t… really… thinking…”

“Clearly.”

“I’m sorry…”

Robert sighed.

“We know. We’ve all had a long day, I say we just order something for tea tonight. Chinese ok for you two?” He looked at Aaron and Seb who both nodded. “Alright. I’ll order after I’ve had a shower.” He got up and kissed both Aaron and Seb before disappearing up the stairs.

“Dad…?”

Aaron looked up.

“I didn’t mean to upset you. I really am sorry.”

“I know mate. It’s alright. We’ll talk about it tomorrow when we’ve all calmed down.”

Seb nodded and then suddenly wrapped his arms around his father’s neck.

“I don’t care what you did when you were young. You’re the best dad ever.”

Aaron got up to properly hug him.

“And you’re the best son ever.”


End file.
